A control device of this type is controlled by a higher level control, as for example a memory programmed control and receives from same control commands by way of the external bus. In the case of the bus it is a question for example of a field bus or an Ethernet bus, for example an industrial Ethernet bus. The control device converts the control commands received on the external bus into local control commands and transmits such control commands to the modules of the module battery. Such modules are for example output modules, actuators, valve modules or the like. The module battery serves for example for the control of a machine, apparatus or individual tools. The means to be controlled are for example operated by fluid power, as for instance pneumatically. For this purpose pneumatic actuators for example are connected with valve modules of the module battery.
The purpose of the external bus, for example of the field bus, is a reliable and rapid transmission of control commands. In the reverse direction messages may be transmitted as well. The message are to be as compact as possible so that the bus provided for control purposes is not overloaded. Furthermore messages are for example normally compact owing to a protocol employed on the bus.
At the high level control a visualizing means, as for instance a personal computer (PC), may be connected, with which the functions of the lower level module battery or batteries may be visualized. The basis for this are for example the messages transmitted from the module battery by way of the field bus. The higher level control and/or the visualizing means must generate visualizing data in a complex manner from the messages, which have a low information content, transmitted by way of the field bus.
The generation of the visualizing data is complex. Moreover numerous operator actions are required in order to configure the generation of the visualizing data. Owing to the limited information content of the messages transferred from the module battery by way of the field bus, substantial parts of the process controlled by the module battery are frequently not able to be represented.